1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pill bottle label remover, and more particularly, a prescription label identity peeler.
Many individuals throw away a prescription pill bottle with the label still attached to it. The label displays the person's personal information, such as their name, address, phone number, physician, as well as their medication information. If the bottle falls into the hands of a criminal, a person's identity may be at risk. It can be difficult to remove the label. It often does not peel off all the way, and individuals waste a great deal of time trying to remove the entire label and it's adhesive. The bottle cannot be reused or recycled if the label is not properly removed. A more efficient way is needed.
The prescription label identity peeler is a device designed to remove the label from a prescription pill bottle. The present invention can be used by anyone who takes medication and wants to remove their personal information from the bottle before they discard it. The peeler product provides security and convenience and ensures that an individual's private information does not end up in the wrong person's hands. The present invention is easy to use and assists individuals in protecting their identity.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for delabeling devices have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,832, Issued on Jul. 31, 1990, to Abe et al. teaches a label peeler for peeling off a label attached to a side of a container such as a bottle includes a holder for holding the container, label scraping means for scraping the label off the container by effecting sliding movement in intimate contact with the side of the container, and driving means for varying the relative position of the container and the label scraping means to remove the label from the side of the container. With the container being held by the holder, the holder or the label scraping means or both are moved to vary the relative position of the container and the label scraping means while keeping the label scraping means in close contact with the side of the container, for thereby mechanically peeling the label off the container.
A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,317,794, Issued on Jun. 7, 1994, to Lerner et al. teaches a machine for removing tubular plastic labels from bottles to facilitate their re-use and recycling. The machine has a multi-station turret and supply and exit conveyors to sequentially supply labeled bottles in line to the turret and remove delabeled bottles from the turret. The delabeling is accomplished with a cutter which is preferably in the form of a high-pressure jet of water. Ideally, the cutter is adjusted so that it is a differential cutter which will cut a label without cutting or marring a bottle from which a label is being removed. With one embodiment, a water flush mechanism is provided to flush cut labels from their bottles and the turret onto a screen conveyor. The flush water passes through the conveyor into a container from which it is pumped for re-use. Removed labels are transported by the screen conveyor to a collection bin. With another embodiment, an air blast mechanism is used to strip cut labels from bottles and a vacuum pick up is used to collect stripped labels.
A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,405, Issued on May 7, 1996, to Bradbury Jr. et al. teaches a multipurpose combination-tool (for recyclers) which performs the functions of removing staples, scraping, identifying steel from other metallic recyclables like aluminum, cutting cardboard into dimensions appropriate for baling, removing plastic or metal cap retainer rings, stripping non-glued labels, cutting baling cord and various carton types, and removing pre-softened glue labels from bottles. The tool includes a scraper, a retractable hooked-shaped blade, a straight blade, a magnet, a passage way in the scraper, a housing with a comfortable grip and one set of extra blades stored in the housing.
A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,679,210, Issued on Oct. 21, 1997, to Thomas teaches a hand held label removal apparatus which provides a safe, reliable means for removing labels and safety seals from containers. A trigger actuated needle like cutter is manually exposed to penetrate the surface of a label and thereby remove it from the surface of a container. In addition, the cutter may be used to remove foil seals and plastic packaging found on many consumer packaging. Designed to be made from various colors of plastic, the apparatus provides a simple, inexpensive means for the user to remove labels from recyclable containers. Also, when the label is not in use, the cutter automatically retracts, thereby, preventing accidental harm to a person.
A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,030, Issued on Feb. 17, 1998, to Langmack et al. teaches a dry abrasive delabeling apparatus for both plastic and glass bottles, sometimes called a label stripper, in which the bottles are fed by an in-feed starwheel to a circular starwheel which rotates the bottles slowly. Within the starwheel are wire bristle brushes rotating at a high speed against the bottles to flick off paper, foil, or plastic from the label on the bottle while restraining the bottle in close contact to the ends of the wire bristle by means of a rubber bladder to press against the bottles. The bottles are held against the wire bristles while the bottles are rotated as they are held against the bladder. The debris is vacuumed away from the apparatus.
A SIXTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Publication No. 2009/0007737, Published on Jan. 8, 2009, to Pierce teaches a device for removal of a layer, such as a label, from a cylindrical surface of an object. The device includes a guide, a cutting instrument, and a base connecting the guide and the cutting instrument. The guide and the cutting instrument are separated by a distance defined by the base, and the cutting instrument is positioned to shave along the object's surface to remove the layer, when the surface of the object is rotated against the cutting instrument and against the guide. The method includes, positioning an object in a device having a cutting instrument and a guide, where the cutting instrument and the guide both support the object, and where the cutting instrument is positioned to shave along the surface to remove the layer when the object is rotated; and rotating the object so the cutting instrument shaves under the layer to remove the layer.
A SEVENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. D613,473, issued on Apr. 6, 2010, to Pierce teaches an ornamental design for a bottle label removal apparatus, as shown.
AN EIGHTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Publication No. 2010/0276083, published on Nov. 4, 2010, to Hurst teaches an improved semi-automatic Label Stripping Machine for detaching labels from a round container. The container is placed between a rotatable idler and a rotatable platform. The container is rotated on its central vertical axis by rotating the platform. A plurality of peeler assemblies are brought in contact with the label and are moved down the outside surface of the container there by spirally striping off the label. The apparatus further comprises a guide that provides improved safety and a self-cleaning feature.
A NINTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 7,959,096, Issued on Jun. 14, 2011, to Wells Sr. teaches a shredder that will prevent a lot of injuries from people trying to scrap information off the bottle with a sharp object. It would be made of parts right here in the United States and of communally used parts. The invention will be child proof but most of all the cost to build would be minimal so it would be very affordable for the majority of Americans.
It is apparent now that numerous innovations for delabeling devices have been provided in the prior art that are adequate for various purposes. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, accordingly, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.